Chainsaws Unite

Speaking of living in a windy area. . . 

I've only witnessed one other wind storm that competes with this one. It blew all night making it impossible to sleep. You could hear the wind coming like a freight train and then it would hit with such force that it actually shook the house and we felt the bed rattling. We were sure that the next gust was going to take out our windows. We could hear things cracking outside. Little did we know that it was giant trees uprooting and slamming to the ground. Then we woke up to find a war zone outside.

I only got pictures of our one neighbors tree. But from our house you could see six trees just as big or bigger lying in the street or in neighbors yards. It was Sunday the 1st of May and church was cancelled. We were told to help those that needed immediate attention and then to hunker down because the winds were still fast and furious.

Then the chainsaws came out and people got to work helping each other.

I was chomping at the bits wanting to get my gloves on and go to work. But I was stuck inside with the kids. The greatest service I received was when two girls offered to watch them so I could help outside.

 It was miraculous! Trees were cut, limbs were moved, debris was carried away and hearts were warmed. We met and visited with neighbors we rarely, if ever, see. We go to church each week and learn about love, service and charity but today we got to practice those things in one of the most Christ-like acts I've seen in a long time. I love going to church but there is nowhere I would have rather been than right there with our neighbors watching the sawdust fly!

We were blessed in more ways than one with this windstorm. We didn't have any trees to lose and only lost shingles. And thankfully we lost a lot of them! The storm was considered catastrophic and because of the age of our roof and the amount of damage we received, our insurance is covering the cost for a brand new roof! Funny thing is this summer we were going to have to just bite the bullet and get a new roof but we didn't know how we were going to afford one. Then the winds came and made it possible for us. The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm. (Nahum 1:3)